Approved_SSJ_1300693443.docx

v1.0_APRIL2016

BRAND NAME SPECIFICATION

SDECS Instrument Controller and DAQ

PR 1300693443

BACKGROUND:

The Underwater Transduction Materials Resource (UTMR) in the Naval Undersea Warfare Center, Division Newport (NUWCDIVNPT) Code 1512 has a requirement for an instrument controller with integrated data acquisition and signal analysis capabilities to control the Stress Dependent Electromechanical Characterization System (SDECS). The system is comprised several smaller sub-systems including a high-voltage amplifier, pneumatic actuator, environmental chamber, and strain gage Wheatstone bridge which all require simultaneous input, control, and signal conditioning.

The current existing instrument controller and DAQ system are comprised of several individual components from varying commercial entities. In its current configuration, instrument control is handled by a Dell workstation with a National Instruments DAQ PXI interface card and GPIB controller. The data acquisition system consists of dynamic signal analyzer from Agilent (now Keysight), a filter box from Frequency Devices, Inc. (the commercial entity no longer manufacturers a similar device), and several input/output monitors that feed back into the instrument controller. The setup is custom designed and the controller software has been continually developed and modified in LabVIEW over the past 10+ years. There exists no single off the shelf item to replace the custom-built system.

In its current configuration, the dynamic signal analyzer has a 16-bit resolution. Since the input electrical signal is extremely small (micro-volts), a filter box is required in order to amplify the incoming electrical signal for acquisition and analysis. National Instruments, the software manufacturer of LabVIEW and several of the devices utilized in the current setup, offers a dynamic signal analyzer with 24-bit resolution. As a result, we have designed a custom chasis package (detailed below) that will be sufficient to reproduce the functions of the current configuration in a smaller, more efficient package which consequently, lowers total cost of replacing each unique piece individually while simultaneously making diagnostics and repair more simplified.

Required delivery is 31 May 2018 or sooner. Anticipated total value of this contract is $42,055.00.

REQUIREMENT:

The custom instrument controller and data acquisition package consists of several individual components detailed below:

8-Slot 3U PXI Express Chassis

Windows 10 64-bit (Multiple Languages)

24-Bit Dynamic Signal Acquisition - BNC Connector

X Series DAQ (16 AI, 24 DIO, 2 AO)

(8 Simultaneous AI, 24 DIO, 2 AO), 32 MS Memory

Noise Rejecting, Shielded I/O Connector Block

Rack-mountable accessory for68-pin Multifunction DAQ

Brand Name Specification:

The Brand Name Justification is based on the impacts of required compatibility with existing custom-built software packages in terms of cost and schedule. The current existing custom-built system has continually been modified over the last 15 years, resulting in a complex inter-weaved configuraiton. In its current form, the control software along with the connecting hardware utilizes National Instruments software and hardware products. To modify the existing configuration to expand compatible software options and hardware connects would require a complete redesign of the entire architecture.

National Instruments is the only entity which has products compatible with the government's current infrastructure (software, other hardware, etc,) based on the fact National Instruments’ products are the current baseline infrastructure.

Transitioning to another vendor’s product would require redevelopment of custom-built software packages currently being utilized by the existing configuration and would require significant investment. At a minimum, the requiring department estimates the reverse engineering and recoding of exisiting software would cost $50,000 and would take approximately 6 months. Additionally, the capabilities being maintained by this requirement are utilized heavily in Code 1512. System downtime for over six months would result in a work stoppage of several Office of Naval Research (ONR) sponsored projects, totaling over $500K of funds annually, and at minimum two internally supported projects funded at $200K.

The requiring department determined, based on the low dollar value of known requirements, that it is very unlikely the duplicative costs identified above can be offset by potential savings from competition. Therefore, it is in the government’s best interest to award this requirement on a brand name only basis.

RESELLERS:

A review of previous procurement history for National Instrument (NI) hardware (N66604-16-P-2731) was set aside for small business authorized re-sellers and received 8 offers from (NI) re-sellers.